Finger Run
- Brand
- OBI
- Year
- 2012
- Objective
- Engagement
- Industry
- Retail
- Mechanic
- Racing & Sports
- Platform
- App
- With
- Appmotion GmbH
Objective
OBI, the German home-improvement chain, wanted a piece of the London 2012 excitement without touching sports sponsorship budgets — so it built a track meet players could run against their own Facebook friends, with real prizes from OBI's range on the line for whoever finished fastest.
Solution
Players pick an event — sprint, hurdles, or relay — then tap and swipe two fingers across the phone screen like a pair of running legs, picking up the pace as the track scrolls by. Timing matters most in the hurdles leg, where a mistimed tap sends the runner stumbling. Each run posts a time to a leaderboard of the player's own Facebook friends, turning the app into an ongoing challenge rather than a one-off dash. Top finishers are entered to win prizes from OBI's product range, giving the fastest runs a payoff beyond bragging rights.
- 1
The player installs OBI's "Finger Run" app on a smartphone, promoted via obi.de/fingerrun, and opens it to start.
- 2
The player connects a Facebook account, which lets them compete against their Facebook friends.
- 3
The player picks a track and field discipline to run: sprint, hurdles, or relay.
- 4
The core mechanic has the player "run" by tapping the touchscreen with their fingers, simulating a sprinting motion for the chosen discipline.
- 5
After the run, the player's result is ranked against Facebook friends' results, with OBI merchandise prizes awarded based on standing.
